Coin-controlled lock.



Patented July 5, 1910.

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I J. S'. MERRITT. OOIN CONTROLLED LOOK.

APPLIOATION rmm NOV. 19, 1908.

Patented.- July 5, 1910..

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' trolled detent having a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. MEBRITT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MEBRITT 8n COMPANY, A CORPORATION.

COIN-CONTROLLED LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 19, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES S. Mnmnr'r, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Coin-Controlled Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to a coin controlled lock, in which the bolt or locking mechanism is normally unlocked and retained in unlocked condition by a coin controlled detent or device, which is released upon the deposit of the coin to permit the mechanism to be locked. Such a lock is particularly adapted, for example, for clothes lockers in theaters, public halls and the like, to enable a person to place his wraps in an open locker and then, on the deposit of a coin, lock the locker and remove the key. When the locker is again unlocked for the removal of the wraps the bolt or locking mechanism is again automatically locked by the coin controlled detent in unlocked condition, and will remain in that condition until it is operated again by the coin deposited by another user. It is essential to the successful operation of a lock of this kind for the purpose intended, that, while the coin shall immediately release the detent 0 locking device, it shall also maintain the detent in unlocked condition until the lock has been operated to lock the door. To this end I employ a coin confinger projecting in the path of the coin and operated by its weight so as to actuate the detent and release the bolt or locking mechanism, but having its range of movement, which is caused by the weight of the coin, so limited that it will be insufficient to release the coin and permit it to drop into the coin receptacle. When, however, the bolt is projected by the key into locking position this finger is moved away so that the coin is released, and the detent may return by gravity into locking position when the bolt is again retracted. The detent when unlocked by the coin will thus be maintained in unlocked condition until the lock has been operated to project the bolt into locking position.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a lock of the character described which shall be simple in construction and shall involve little alteration in or addition to the ordinary locks now commonly employed in clothes lockers and the like.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a coin controlled invention and showing the same after it has been operated; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the look before it has been operated; Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations of the lock controlled catches respectively showing the same closed and opened; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the lock showing the same at the moment the coin is acting; Fig. 6 is a front elevation showing the lock in dotted lines; Fig. 7 line A-A of Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the coin controlled dog which controls the lock.

The look a may be of any suitable construction having a key controlled bolt 7). In the construction shown, in which the lock is applied to the door of a clothes locker having a pivoted catch 0 operated by a handle cl and controlling vertical bolts 6, ewhich is of well known construction-the bolt 5 controls the catch, by projecting under its heel f and looking it when the bolt is projected, as shown in Fig. 1, and permitting the catch to be operated and unlocked when the bolt is retracted, as shown in Fig. 2. The bolt may, however, act directly as the means of locking the door in the common manner without the employment of the catch 0.

g is a dog pivoted to the rear of the bolt, the front end h of which acts as a detent to prevent the projection of the bolt when the dog is in the normal lowered position which is assumed by gravity, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

For simplicity of construction, I prefer to pivot the dog in a narrow channel 2 cut in the lower rear edge of the bolt with the detent arranged to abut against the back of the bolt-casing as shown in Fig. 5. The rear end of the dog is extended beyond the bolt in the form of a finger y' projecting in the path of the coin 0 as it descends in the coinchute 7c. The weight of the coin on the finger y will rock the dog on its pivot and lift its detent h in the channel 2' out of en gagement with the bolt casing, so that the bolt may be projected to lock the door. The extent of movement, however, which is thus produced by the weight of the coin, while lock embodying the.

is a horizontal section on the vS'uflicient.tO re eas ten i inet en ugh to allow the coin to drop, and the dog will therefore be maintained in raised position until the bolt is operated by the key. It is therefore impossible for the dog'to drop back. and relock the bolt before oneusing the device has had time to turn the key; 4.. I

This. is, clearly shown indotted linesin Fig. 5, where the contact of the inner end of the dog with the top of the channel limits the extent of movement. As soon as the bolt-is r projected the finger jmoves forward and the .f' reengagesf the bolt-casing.

"dog' impeding the retraction of the bolt its. lower edge, between the detent and pivot, I

coin is released falls. intothe coin receptacle. When the door. is

again unlocked and thebolt is. retracted, the

dog drops back by gravity andits detent maybe inclined as shown at n, and this in,-

clined' edge wil; ride over the edge of the bolt-caslng during the movement'of the bolt.

By the use of a narrow, flat dog, such as isv shown, pivoted in a channel out in the rear of the. bolt and having its detentacting on the back of the bolt casing, a very simple construction 'is. providedffor the purpose in-. tended, without enlarging the size of: the.

lock. and with the. addition of but two parts the. dog and its pivot. While. this. the. preferred form, I do not meangto llmrt' myself to this exact construction.

What I claim is. as follows 1. In. coin-controlled locking mechanism,

the. combination withxa lock having a keyactuated bolt, of a coin controlled dog pivcted to the bolt and arranged, to normally retain it againstprojection intoGlockingp0- sition, and'ai finger carried bysaid: dog and projecting into the :path ofthe. coin and adapted to be operated thereby to releasethe dogand permit the bolt of the lock to,

be. moved by the key into locking position. 2. In coin-controlled locking mechanism, the combination. with a lock having a. keyactuated bolt, of a coin-controlled dog pivoted to the bolt and arranged tonormally retain. it against projection into locking. p0.

sition, a finger carried by said dog and projecting into the path of the coin, and adapt: ed to. be operatedv thereby to release the dog I andpermit the bolt of the lock to'be moved by the key into locking position, and means to. limit the extent of movement of said finger by. the cointo prevent it from passing out of the. path of the coin and releasing 1 said coin until the. finger is movedrby the V movementof the bolt into locking position by the key.

3.In coin-controlled locking mechanism,

the combination with a lock and its casing embracing a key-actuated bolt, of a coin.-

controlled dog. pivoted to the rear of the bolt andhavinga detent normally acting-on the lock-casing to retain the bolt retracted in;

from the. chute;

' To. prevent the operate the. dog and: release the unlocked position, and a finger carried by saiddogand projecting into the path of the coin and adapted, tobe operated thereby to move the dog and release its detent' and per mit the bolt of the lock to be moved by the key into locking position.

11 a coin-controlled lock, the combination of. the bolt having a narrow channel 'cut in its rear, a dog pivoted in said channel and havingat 'its' front end a detent arranged to normally retain the bolt retracted in unlocked position, and at its rear a finger projecting intothe "path" of the coin and ;tion of a bolt-casing, a bolt having the nar.

row channel icut injits rear lowered e, and

the narrow, fiat dog-g pivoted sai than nel and havingits front a detent h, adapted to. abut against the rear-of thebdt-c'asing when the bel is r tra cted in unlocked position, and at its back the finger j projecting from the back of the bolt into the path, of the coin, and adapted tobe actuatedithereby torock the dog and move its detentj into the channel 71 out of engagement with the boltcasing, thereby permitting the bolt to be projected into lockin position. 6. In a coin-contro led lock, the combination of a bolt-casing, a bolt having thev narrow channel, 11 cut in its. rear lower edge, and the narrow, flat dog 9 pivoted in said channel; and having at its front a detent 71., adapted; to abut against the rear, of the bolt casing when the bolt isretracted in unlocked position, and. atits back the'finger 7' project ing from the back of the bolt into thepath ofithe (30111,, and adapted to be actuated thereby to rock the dogand move its detent into the channel 2' out of engagement with the bolt-casing, thereby permittingythe bolt to be projected range of movement offsaid finger-under the weight of the coin being insufiicient to releasethe coin and permit it to pass, whereby the finger and the dog will bemaintained in unlocked position by the coin until the bolt is projected.

7,. In coin-controlled locking mechanism, the combination of a lock having a. key-actu-v ated bolt, and a pivoted dog carried by said bolt and; normally retaining}-'said bolt retracted in, unlocked position, said dog hav-.

ing a fingerprojectingintothepathof the coin and adapted'to be actuated thereby to bolt andpermit it to, be moved by the key into lookinto' locking position, the

ing position, the range of movement of said finger under the Weight of the coin being insufficient to release the coin and permit it to pass, whereby the dog Will be maintained in unlocked position by the coin until the bolt is moved by the key into locked position.

8. In coin-controlled locking mechanism, the combination of a lock having a key-actuated bolt, a coin controlled dog arranged to normally retain the bolt against movement into locking position, and a dog-controlling finger projecting into the path of the coin and adapted to be operated thereby to release the dog and permit the bolt to be 15 moved by its key into locking position.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES S. MERRITT. Witnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, AUGUST W. RETTIG. 

